Music Industry

New Photos of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison Surface

Sacramento Bee  |  Jan 5, 09 11:21 AM CST

(Newser) - Candid new photos of Johnny Cash during his famous 1968 appearance at Folsom Prison have been released by the reporter and photographer who accompanied him during the concert that turned his career around. "John was really on the skids" at the time, former reporter Gene Beley told the Sacramento Bee . Until recently, the only photographs believed to exist of Cash's 1968 prison concert were those commissioned by Columbia Records and included in the album he recorded there live. More »

CD Sales Down 20% in 2008

Wall Street Journal  |  Jan 1, 09 7:00 PM CST

(Newser) - The music industry ends 2008 in familiar territory: Sales are down for the seventh time in eight years, the Wall Street Journal reports. CD purchases dropped by 20% to 360.6 million as labels continue to adapt to the digital revolution. Apple's iTunes store moved ahead of Wal-Mart to become the world's largest music retailer in 2008, the Journal notes. More »

Best Overlooked Albums of '08

Spin  |  Dec 26, 08 2:15 PM CST

(Newser) - Catfish Haven's Devastator tops Spin 's year-end list of overlooked albums. George Hunter's "old-soul blues exposes other rock'n'roll kings as pretenders to the crown." The top 10: Catfish Haven , Devastator: Hunter's voice is "a husky amalgam of Joe Cocker's world-weary croon and Bill Medley's baritone bombast." El Perro Del Mar, From the Valley to the Stars : "A challenging and introspective set," but you can also "dance, dance, dance." Flowers Forever, Flowers Forever : Some songs "veer sharply into aggressive garage rock," while others are "part acid trip, part barroom blues." The Gaslight Anthem, The '59 Sound : Jersey boy Brian Fallon's "heartfelt, punk-tinged tunes" make him possibly this decade's next best thing to the Boss. More »

Racist Music Finds Home Online

Spin  |  Dec 25, 08 1:16 PM CST

(Newser) - Online outlets are making it much easier for musical acts with unpopular messages to get their material heard, Spin reports. “Because stores wouldn’t carry us, selling records used to be laborious,” says the lead singer of white-power act Brutal Attack, citing boycotts from anti-racist groups. The band and legal analysts say free speech prevails, but activists are upset. More »

Warner Music Pulls Videos From YouTube

Reuters  |  Dec 20, 08 4:40 PM CST

(Newser) - Warner Music ordered YouTube to remove all music videos by Warner artists today after talks to renew their licensing deal stalled, Reuters reports. The impasse could affect hundreds of thousands of video clips. The music group, home to artists such as Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is demanding a larger cut of revenues, though no details were made public. More »

2008's Top 10 Singles